Xander’s Crossing

I knew about Nicole Wilson and her family before I met her or the Mother’s of an Angel Friendship Network. My wife and I heard a news report in the car radio. We turned it off before it finished, but we never forgot it. At the time, my first child was almost the same age as Xander, and my wife was pregnant with our second child. I wondered how a family would ever move forward from such a tragedy. I still wonder.

Many families hear the story and wonder how to help. There must be something we can do. Perhaps Xander’s Crossing will help other families from needing a memorial or memory like this.

Nicole and her family have helped me learn more about loss and healing. This first image illustrates how journalists can reconsider how we could show tragedy from a different perspective. I am handing the camera to Nicole’s son so that he can photograph the journalists and other people at the event.  I am still processing images and emotions… please feel free to provide comments, perspectives and condolences.

"Xander's Crossing," a 315-foot long prefabricated steel pedestrian bridge, was opened in San Jose on Friday, September 28, 2012. The bridge is named in honor of Alexander Arriaga, a 2-year-old boy who was died after being struck by a train in 2005 (bryan farley)

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edited September, 30: Several news organizations have begun posting stories about the bridge. I am including one from NBC News Bay Area. Public officials will also begin publishing comments soon. Please add them to the comment section as you find them. I might need to approve the post if you have not posted here before.

Blossom Hill/Xander’s Crossing Photo Gallery

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 29th, 2012 at 5:19 pm. It is filed under Mothers of Angels and tagged with , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

2 Responses to “Xander’s Crossing”

  1. Bryan Farley Photography says:
    September 30, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Nicole de la Cruz Thank you for inviting me to the event. This was one of my favorite photos of the thousands I have taken with the Mothers of an Angel Friendship Network. When I handed the camera to your son, I was turning the publicity onto those who often invade your space. (Thanks for allowing me to invade your space)

  2. Bridge to Xanders Crossing | Bryan Farley Photography Educator says:
    September 28, 2014 at 9:47 pm

    […] years ago, I wrote about Xander’s Crossing. The bridge connects me to a support group for mothers whose children have died. After my father […]